Are you pregnant again after having preeclampsia once already in a previous pregnancy? Post your thoughts/concerns here - there are others who share your feelings. This is also the home of our Bedrest Buddies Support group.

With my last son that I lost in March 2004 I was told we had a case of reverse end diastolic flow. At my last peri. appointment i asked if it was due to pe or something that just happens during pregnancy sometimes. Although I was in the throws of very severe pe at the time that is what actually caused Connor to die. Has anyone else had this happen to them or know anything about it. I was so out of it when it was explained to me that I am still confused.

Brittani (29)
husband Jeff (28)
Andrew (6) born @33 weeks due to severe pe 11/03/97
Connor stillborn @23weeks due to severe pe and end diastolic flow
3/11/04
Pregnant Again!!! due 11/6/05 (I'll take anything in the month of October!)

I have searched this for you and found very little in terms of a definition in laymens terms. It has to do with the umbilical cord. It appears that what I have read shows that it can occur in any type of pregnancy and is usually hand in hand with IUGR. I would encourage you to ask your provider to talk to you for as long as you need about this. Have a list of questions with you and get them answered. I know that I had to know what everything meant in order for me to go through a portion of my grief after Chloe died. I wish you all the best with this and I hope you get the answers you deserve. Maybe someone else knows more on a personal level.

I am sorry Brittani but I can't help you here, I know nothing about reseverse end diastolic flow. I agree with Suz and think you should ask your doc to spend some time explaining it to you. best of luck and let us know what is said because now I am interested

I have heard the term and must say that I have only the vaguest idea of what it might mean. I've tried searching for this at the PF because I KNOW I've read it before...will post a message if/when I find a link.

I can't say whether it had anything to do with preeclampsia, but I do know (from my own oligohydramnios experience) that hypertension affects the placenta's function and flow to/through the placenta and umbilical cords is one of the things many of the PG again women are monitored for. I too would follow Suzie's suggestion and speak with your doctor about this.

Prayers that things will be different in a good way this time around, Brittani.

I had this with my son as well. Essentially the blood wasn't getting to him and also it was coming back. They showed us on the ultrasound screen when they do a doppler of the blood flow to the placenta what they are looking for...essentially they want to see a wave...showing that the blood is pumping to the placenta...with reverse end diastolic flow they see a small wave meaning not as much blood is getting there and they also see a dip which indicates some of the blood is coming back to the mother. Hope this makes sense.

Did you have your placenta sent to pathology?? Mine was sent and it came back as having maternal floor infarction. Have you been tested for blood clotting disorders...they often accompany reverse end diastolic flow. It also means you likely had a baby suffering from IUGR. They think with me that the placeta was actually trying to hard to push the blood through to the baby that it caused my blood pressure to skyrocket.

I have researched these topics so much in the past few months...so if you have anything else you would like to ask about this...feel free!!!

I had this with Harry too and it was what made the decision for a c section to be done on the day that he was born.
I was told that the blood flow from the placenta was going to the Harry and coming straight back out again, so that the Harry was getting little or no nutrition; oxegen etc. There are apparently 4 grades that this level of blood flow can be at and when it reaches grade 4 as happened with Harry, there really is no option but to take the baby out. About 3 days before Harry was born it was at grade 2, so it moved pretty quickly to grade 4 and I guess we were lucky to get him out when we did. My blood pressure at that stage was not too bad but teh protein in my urine rose quite quickly over that period too and platlets deteriorated.
Hope this helps.